Mark Donald’s original plan to pursue a career in acting was diverted by a growing interest in cooking. Early kitchen experience in Glasgow sparked an inner curiosity and inspired his travels. At 19, he headed to Australia, and worked in various hotels and restaurants from Cairns to Melbourne. At 20 he secured a position as CDP at Stravaigin in Glasgow, before moving to 2 Michelin-starred Restaurant Andrew Fairlie at the Gleneagles Hotel for the first of two stints.

Mark staged a season at Noma Copenhagen with chef Rene Redzepi, returning to Scotland with a new level of respect for wild ingredients. He moved to Hibiscus, chef Claude Bosi’s award-winning 2 Michelin-starred Mayfair restaurant. After two and a half years in London, he moved to Sydney in 2015 for four years and became head chef of Bentleys for chef Brent Savage. A homecoming to Scotland in 2018, Mark took over the kitchen at Number One in the Balmoral, where he retained the restaurant's Michelin star from his arrival. Mark joined the Glenturret in early 2021 to build his team and start developing dishes and menus that showcase the very best of Scotland. After only seven months from opening, Mark and his team at The Glenturret Lalique Restaurant were awarded a Michelin Star, a first for a Scottish distillery.